A timepiece responding to the generic definition hereinabove has already been described in several documents published in the name of the same assignee. The general arrangement of the antenna confined in a watch case forms the object of patent document EP-B-0 339 482 (US-A-4 884 252). The assembly of movement, caseband and back cover of such a timepiece is described in the document EP-A-0 460 526. Finally, the arrangement of the power cell energizing the radio-frequency portion of the watch is set forth in patent document EP-A-0 460 525.
More precisely, a timepiece responding also to the generic definition hereinabove has been placed on the market on the 2nd of Dec. 1991 by the assignee of the present invention and bears the name "Swatch pager tone only" the instructions for use of which will now be reviewed with the help of FIGS. 1 and 2 accompanying this description.
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the timepiece in question. Such timepiece includes a timekeeper which displays the time of day by means of hours and minutes hands 4 and 5. It further includes a pager system, that is to say, an arrangement comprising a radio-broadcast message receiver and a memory for storing such messages. The messages are captured by an antenna appearing in the form of wires 6, such antenna being wound around the baseplate of the case. The timepiece is controlled by a control arrangement 3 which includes on the one hand a crown 10 fitted onto a stem, not shown, and on the other hand by two push-pieces 1 and 2. The crown may assume three different axial positions. The first push-piece 1 located at 8 o'clock enables turning on (ON) or turning off (OFF) the pager. The second push-piece 2, located at 10 o'clock, enables placing the pager into a standby state (SIL=silence) for which received messages are at least stored in the memory without being signalled by an acoustic diffuser 8 for which only the orifice has been shown on FIG. 1.
The pager is a personalized wrist-watch fitted out with an integrated radio receiver capable of receiving radio-broadcast messages for seeking .persons, as already said hereinabove. In Switzerland, messages are transmitted over the local calling network B of the Post Office Telephone and Telegraph company. Four calling numbers correspond to each pager here examined.
In order to turn on or turn off the pager, pressure is exerted on the first push-piece 1. A long bip confirms the placing into service and interruption of the pager. In pressing on crown 10, a short bip will be heard if the pager is turned on, two short bips if it is out of service. In the out-of-service mode, the pager consumes little energy but on the other hand receives no messages.
Messages can only be received if the pager is turned on (mode ON). Calls trigger the following acoustic alarms during about sixteen seconds, such alarms being shown on FIG. 2, letters E, F, G and H.
First calling number: one bip (long) each second, FIG. 2, letter E;
Second calling number: two bips (one short and one long) each second, FIG. 2, letter F;
Third calling number: three bips (short) each second, FIG. 2, letter G, and
Fourth calling number: four bips (short) each second, FIG. 2, letter H.
To interrupt the alarm, it is sufficient to press on crown 10. The message is not memorized.
The pager, however, memorizes automatically the messages which enter and which are not interrupted by pressing on crown 10. Such messages can be reconstituted at any instant by a simple pressure on crown 10 and this in the order of the calling numbers. It will be noted that the messages are first of all announced, then deleted from the memory as soon as the pager is placed out of service (mode OFF).
Reception of messages is possible without ringing the acoustic alarms. For this, the second push-piece 2 is pressed, which places the pager in the standby or silent mode (SIL). Such change of mode is also confirmed by a long bip. Such function can only be actuated if the pager is turned on (mode ON). In order to have the silent mode confirmed, it is sufficient to press on crown 10 which will have as effect the emission of three short bips. From then on, the messages are memorized without the alarm sounding.
In order to terminate inhibition of the acoustic alarm and return thus to the normal alarm mode (mode ON), pressure once again will be exerted on the second push-piece 2 (SIL). A long bip confirms return to the mode ON and the messages, if there are any, will be reconstituted in the order of the calling numbers.
From the description Which has just been given hereinabove, it will be understood that different sonic codes are called for, depending on the calling numbers (see FIG. 2). Also, different sonic codes are called for (one, two or three short bips) for checking the mode in which the pager happens to be (respectively ON, OFF or SIL). It will be understood that such situation can create confusion if the wearer of the pager is not attentive or if his ear has not been accustomed to memorize the codes as received.